Champions Cup Pool 5: Leinster Rugby v Wasps, 15 November

First topic message reminder :

         
Leinster Rugby v Wasps
Sunday 15th November 2015
KO 13:00
RDS Arena, Dublin

Live on BT Sport / beIN Sports

Referee Mathieu Raynal (France)
Touch Judge 1 Cyril Lafon (France)
Touch Judge 2 Thomas Dejean (France)
Fourth Official Paul Haycock (Ireland)
TMO Philippe Bonhoure (France)
Citing Commissioner Jeff Mark (Wales)

A. Head to Head

5 Played 5
2 Wins 2
2 Losses 2
1 Draws 1
111 Points 105

B. Recent Form

24 January 2015
Leinster 20 - 20 Wasps

19 October 2014
Leinster 25 - 20 Wasps

C. Teams

Leinster Rugby

[tbc]

Wasps

[tbc]

Scottrf wrote:Honestly I wasn't sure why the commentary made such a deal. Clearly backwards, what law would disallow it?

I was puzzled by their comments too - couldn't work out what they were getting out - what's wrong with the ball bouncing backwards and didn't understand at all what BOD was saying about once the ball's grounded it's effectively a knock on even if it bounces backwards? Not sure which laws they think were broken?

Didn't see the game but I had a feeling it was going to be a beating and a half.  Leinster have a new head coach, a new backs coach, and are just a few games into a new post-MOC era.  He left the team in a pretty impotent position, and it'll take a good bit longer to bounce back into any real effective shape. Miracles don't happen.

I'll have patience as long as the objective is right - we want to set ourselves up to play rugby the way Leinster have played in the past and it's doable... and the side must keep playing with that projection in mind despite results.  It'll take time.

Meanwhile, let's not overlook the fact that these damn English sides are damn good!  Let's not beat about the bush here.  They're greedy and have the skillsets to make their greed work for them.  Congratulations to Wasps.  A thumping is a thumping.

Heaf wrote:

Scottrf wrote:Honestly I wasn't sure why the commentary made such a deal. Clearly backwards, what law would disallow it?

I was puzzled by their comments too - couldn't work out what they were getting out - what's wrong with the ball bouncing backwards and didn't understand at all what BOD was saying about once the ball's grounded it's effectively a knock on even if it bounces backwards?  Not sure which laws they think were broken?

BOD seemed to be suggesting that if the ball hits the ground and then bounces back it is still a knock-on. Of course the position is that only if the ball is knocked or dropped forward is it knock-on. That does not apply in this case of course because the ball was never knocked or dropped in  a forward direction.

Well chickens are coming home to roost a bit for the Irish provinces - poor coaches, mediocre recruitment, failing academies.

Leinster were dominated in every facet but in particular that shockingly poor backline.

A novice inside centre who can't tackle, paired with a utility winger, a fly half at fullback, a fullback on the wing - if they played for a week Leinster still wouldn't have scored  -no pace no power no intelligence.  

What a sad state of affairs for Ireland's flagship province and hope the Joe Schmidt knockers take notice.

Not sure who feels worse this morning - Leo Cullen or Rhona Rousey...

Only good news is Piutau coming to Ulster next year

P.s. Last try was a knock on...

rodders wrote:  

What a sad state of affairs for Ireland's flagship province and hope the Joe Schmidt knockers take notice.

Take notice of what? That 6Ns points wins are more convincing than getting to WC semi-finals?

So I suppose that means Provinces should do now what Lord D has always suggested, concentrate on the only competition they are fit for (Pro12) and leave the European game to the silky boys from England and France.............. and New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, Fiji, Samoa, Australia etc etc etc...

Well done to Wasps. By far the better side and well deserving of such a comprehensive victory.

Leinster got exactly what the deserved out of that game.

McCarthy was our best forward (and I don't even like him as a lock option).
Our front row was poor.
The lineout struggled.
Our kicking to touch and out of hand was atrocious.
We even put a restart short and out on the full.


We picked a backrow with 2 sixes and a no.8. Then decided to chose a no.8 as cover on the bench. Heaslip has gone off injured once my memory of euro fixtures, so the introduction of Conan for either SOB or Jordi was never going to make sense.
We have two outhalfs on the pitch (one at full back) and choose our 3rd outhalf on the bench? What scenario was Leo ever going to put Marsh onto the field?
Boss wasn't in the matchday squad (ok, I've found one positive from the game!).
The kid Luke McGrath was noticeably better than Reddan.
Sexton was poor.
Reid can't defend.

You put a winger at 13, an outhalf (who has more experience as a centre) at full back and a full back on the wing. Even taking the names alone and putting Zane at 15, Madigan at centre and McFadden on the wing would have been a more balanced choice.
Ringrose has been the form back this season. Only a kid but deserved to be in the centres ahead of Reid (put Ringrose to 13 and have Madigan at 12).

I know Isa only got injured in the morning of the match, but that doesn't excuse the selection errors. I'd have the fullback options running Rob, Isa, Zane, Dave, Kelleher, Madigan.

That wasps back 3 were through our defensive line at will.
Wasps back row was far more settled.
Quality players doing their jobs.
Not sure how they will get on against Toulon or Bath.

Watching this game now.

Great to see Launchbury absolutely livid with his own player (no2) for giving away a silly pen at the breakdown. Runs over to the guy grabs him and gives him a lashing!

Bit cheeky of Launchbury, and not very teamy if you ask me.

They're all adults, if you've just held out for 10+ phases without losing ground, only for a team mate to give away a silly pen when the refs shouted at him repeatedly then he should expect the other players to give him a bollocking. Can't all be hugs and pats on the bum.

Is it Pooly that hates Simpson and doesn't rate him? I hope he watched this game because he's been claaaass. Good passing too.

If ever a game showed how important a back three were this was it .

A back three that has mediocre as its by word faced one that was dangerous at every turn - absolutely decisive

Also Reid will be nowhere the Irish team until he learns to tackle - it was almost like watching I. Humph

Very disappointing though as he seems to have it all in terms of attacking prowess.

yappysnap wrote:They're all adults, if you've just held out for 10+ phases without losing ground, only for a team mate to give away a silly pen when the refs shouted at him repeatedly then he should expect the other players to give him a bollocking. Can't all be hugs and pats on the bum.

Yeah, I thought it was good to see a bit of fire from Launchbury, he's been a bit too nice so far given he's wearing Jonno and Grewcock's old shirt

geoff999rugby wrote:If ever a game showed how important a back three were this was it .

A back three that has mediocre as its by word faced one that was dangerous at every turn - absolutely decisive

Also Reid will be nowhere the Irish team until he learns to tackle - it was almost like watching I. Humph

You could have saved yourself some typing by just finishing there.

Have to say while the rsult and performance were incredibly disappointing I'm not panicking yet.Cullen has the team playing good attacking rugby in the league and I'll wait til the end of the season when he's had time to get the returning internationals following his plan before I'll judge him.

This was a pretty major setback but up to now things have been hugely positive,if we're still performing like this after Christmas then I'll start to worry.Cullen is on a steep learning curve,I expect there will be more bumps in the road but if he learns from them and the team progresses then things aren't too bad.